Sedum plant named ‘Gold Form’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Sedum  plant named ‘Gold Form’, characterized by its compact, dense and bushy growth habit; initially upright to trailing to weeping and decumbent plant habit; freely basally and laterally branching habit; yellow green-colored leaves; and good garden performance and winter hardiness.

Botanical designation: Sedum rupestre.

Cultivar denomination: ‘GOLD FORM’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Sedumplant, botanically known as Sedum rupestre and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Gold Form’.

The new Sedum plant is a naturally-occurring branch mutation of Sedumrupestre ‘Angelina’, not patented. The new Sedum plant was discoveredand selected by the Inventor on a single plant within a population ofplants of ‘Angelina’ in a controlled greenhouse environment inCardington, Ohio in 2014.

Asexual reproduction of the new Sedum plant by terminal vegetativecuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Cardington, Ohiosince 2014 has shown that the unique features of this new Sedum plantare stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Sedum have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Gold Form’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Gold Form’ as a new and distinct Sedum plant:

-   -   1. Compact, dense and bushy growth habit.    -   2. Initially upright to trailing to weeping and decumbent plant        habit.    -   3. Freely basally and laterally branching habit.    -   4. Yellow green-colored leaves; color is stable year-round.    -   5. Good garden performance and winter hardiness.

Plants of the new Sedum differ from plants of the mutation parent,‘Angelina’, primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Sedum are more compact than and not as        sprawling as plants of ‘Angelina’.    -   2. Plants of the new Sedum are less vigorous than plants of        ‘Angelina’.    -   3. Plants of the new Sedum are more freely branching than plants        of ‘Angelina’.    -   4. Leaves of plants of the new Sedum maintain their yellow green        color year-round whereas leaves of plants of ‘Angelina’ become        more yellow during the summer and orange red in color in the        winter.    -   5. Plants of the new Sedum have not been observed to produce        flowers whereas plants of ‘Angelina’ produce flowers during the        summer.

Plants of the new Sedum can be compared to plants of Sedum rupestre‘Lemon Ball’, not patented. Plants of the new Sedum and ‘Lemon Ball’differ primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Sedum are more rounded than and not as        mounding as plants of ‘Lemon Ball’.    -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Sedum are more green in color        than and not as yellow as leaves of plants of ‘Lemon Ball’.    -   3. Plants of the new Sedum are more winter hardy than plants of        ‘Lemon Ball’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Sedum plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Sedum plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical plant of ‘Gold Form’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical plantof ‘Gold Form’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the summer in 2.5-quartcontainers in an outdoor nursery in Elburn, Ill. and under culturalpractices typical of commercial Sedum production. During the productionof the plants, day temperatures ranged from 13° C. to 27° C., nighttemperatures ranged from 7° C. to 18° C. and light levels ranged from5,000 to 8,000 foot-candles. Plants were 20 weeks old when thephotographs and description were taken. In the following description,color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Sedum rupestre ‘Gold Form’.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of Sedum rupestre    ‘Angelina’, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About seven to            ten days at temperatures ranging from 18° C. to 21° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer and            winter.—About 14 to 20 days at temperatures ranging from            18° C. to 21° C.        -   Root description.—Thin, fleshy; typically white in color,            actual color of the roots dependent on substrate            composition, water quality, fertilizer, substrate            temperature and age of roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; compact, dense            and bushy growth habit; initially upright to trailing,            weeping and decumbent habit; moderately vigorous growth            habit; freely basally and laterally branching habit with            numerous primary basal branches each with about two to four            lateral branches developing per plant.        -   Plant height.—About 9 cm.        -   Plant width (spread).—About 32 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 30 cm to 37 cm. Diameter:            About 3 mm to 3.5 mm. Internode length: About 2 cm to 5 cm.            Strength: Moderately strong, flexible. Texture and luster:            Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy. Color, developing and            developed: Close to 144A.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Whorled, simple; sessile.        -   Length.—About 2.5 cm.        -   Width.—About 2 mm.        -   Shape.—Acicular.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Clasping.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth,            glabrous; succulent; slightly glossy.        -   Venation pattern.—Parallel.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to            144A. Fully expanded leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close            to 144A to 144B; venation, close to 144A to 144B.-   Flower description: To date, flower development has not been    observed on plants of the new Sedum.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Sedum have    not been noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Sedum plants.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Sedum have been observed to    have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and    temperatures ranging from −28° C. to 38° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Sedum plant named ‘Gold Form’ asillustrated and described.